Bruce Allen explains "The Future is Now"

By
Dan Steinberg

I've certainly spent plenty of blog posts picking on the Redskins for going back to "The Future is Now" as a slogan before what seemed sure to be a rebuilding year. They plastered "The Future is Now!" across envelopes sent to fans, used the phrase in a ticket video, and inspired countless "Future is Now!" headlines by trading draft picks for an aging quarterback.

During a round of media appearances on Thursday, GM Bruce Allen was asked about this at least once, by Ken Meringolo of Hogs Haven, who wondered whether Allen would choose a different slogan in retrospect. The answer:

"Well, Ken, let me first explain the phrase "The Future is Now" for you. When my father said that, it was something he had been telling the kids our entire life. That meant, 'Take care of today. What you do today will determine what your future looks like. If you do everything you can to be the best you can in that day, your future will be brighter.' And what we're trying to do today -- actually today, because we're cross-checking our player evaluations offense versus defense -- is to make sure we're doing everything to improve our team. Our intensity and desire to win every single game will not change."

In other words, the future is always now, whether you're starting Donovan McNabb, Cam Newton or a jar of sweet pickles. Which still won't stop me from picking on them for choosing this slogan before a 6-10 season.

This was a rebuilding year. We'll be rebuilding for another two years, esp. if we draft a quarterback. This is part of the business of selling tickets, which I think is harder for the Redskins than they let on.

Other intentional misrepresentations? (1) We may keep Donovan McNabb! (2) We may keep Albert Haynesworth!

This was a rebuilding year. We'll be rebuilding for another two years, esp. if we draft a quarterback. This is part of the business of selling tickets, which I think is harder for the Redskins than they let on.

Other intentional misrepresentations? (1) We may keep Donovan McNabb! (2) We may keep Albert Haynesworth!

Isn't it funny how managements philosophy is always "The Future Is Now" but all the fans want to do is remember the past.

Looking back (to recent history) will help us stop repeating the same mistakes that put us here. Looking back (to ancient history) will remind us that winning franchises are built on the backs of your linemen.

Yes Bruce, the future IS now, but the key to making it a bright future is to look at yesterday.

Isn't it funny how managements philosophy is always "The Future Is Now" but all the fans want to do is remember the past.

Looking back (to recent history) will help us stop repeating the same mistakes that put us here. Looking back (to ancient history) will remind us that winning franchises are built on the backs of your linemen.

Yes Bruce, the future IS now, but the key to making it a bright future is to look at yesterday.

Bruce Allen is beggining to come off as a disingenious hack. Great his dad was a legendary coach, not sure what he brings to the table. His explanation of that ill-conceived ad campaign was a bunch of empty, company line mumbo jumbo. Sounds eerily like Snyder.

What I find funny is Allen's constant reference of his dad and when he was hear.... we are actually doing what his dad did.... trade away youth to get over the hill veterans to try and win.... lets look at what Bethard and Gibbs did to build this franchise to what people called a Dynasty back in the day.... Stop trying to pull the whool over our eyes as fans and just man up to what yoru doing. The future is not now because yo ucan contro lthe future.... just say the time is now because that is what you control... the future is never promised. I find more problems and poorly handled issues are on the horizon with this team!!!!!

Dan, I love your Bog, but this is just silly. What were they supposed to use as a slogan, "We'll Suck This Year"? You can't possibly tell me that anyone based their ticket purchase or somesuch on a team's slogan.

And why do people keep complaining about GM Allen lying about Haynesworth & McNabb? It's what he's supposed to do, duh. His role is to make the team better, and trashing those players or indicating that we'll release them in no way helps the team. Maybe there's some dumb team out there that actually thinks we'll bring Haynesworth back and therefore gives us a 3rd-round pick, who knows. Allen's just doing his job. Ditto for Shanahan.

@ DCUnited2 - Wasn't singling you out, just referring to lots of comments I've seen on the Bog or Redskins Insider. I totally agree, it's transparent and I doubt it will work! But who knows what nonsense is running through, say, Al Davis' head...

I hope Bruce and Shanny understand that the fans are ready to embrace a rebuilding project. We understand that it's the only way to clean up this mess. Unfortunately Redskins management has never bought in to the "rebuilding" concept, which is a shame.

Teams like Carolina, Arizona, St. Louis, Miami and others have proven that it might only take one year of massive losing to turn it around for several years going forward. I'd rather sit through one house-cleaning 2-14 year than a whole bunch of 6-10's.

I'm not sure if the Redskins have realized, but success in the NFL of today is not with yesterday's coaches. The teams having the most success in the NFL have decided to take a chance on a talented young coach. The redskins are losing this battle if they stand pat on the coaching staff. Right now, both defensive and offensive coordinator jobs should be refreshed. The only coach that should keep his job is the special teams coach (Although he needs to teach players to stop ruining good returns by blocking in the back!)

Kyle Shan--i know he's young but-he ought to read the article about Mike Martz and Cutler.
AFTER the SKINS beat them(4 INTS BY OUR MAN)he realised that
he and his QB were not on the same page and adjusted his game plans and allowed his QB greater flexability? plus increased the running plays etc.

The result is that 2 teams the Skins beat
are playing for the conference championship.

Now J Cutler-drafted by Shan Senior- is
playing for it all.He still makes many mistakes but he overcomes them.

When we interpreted "the future is now" in the early '70's in the context of the "over the hill gang" we saw a future that is like todays underwater mortgages.And remember that George Allen only won two playoff games in his whole NFL career. We (the Redskins) need a ton of undrafted free agents and low round picks for a few years ALONG with wise high round picks. The offensive lines of EVERY team that played this weekend was far superior to ours. We need our own Ozzie Newsome or Ted Thompson.

"Bruce Allen is beggining to come off as a disingenious hack. Great his dad was a legendary coach...."

Legendary? He was a second-rate coach, right down there with the Marty Schottenheimers and Forrest Greggs. He won no championships. He took one team to the NFL championship game and only an interception of a Garo Ypremian(!) pass when the game was all but over made the loss "respectable." Talk about overblown reputations.

One of the things that I just don't understand is why, if the future is now, did the team do away with a defense that had been in the top of the NFL for the past previous seasons before Haslett? Blame it on the personnel but the team did have a very good bunch of guys ready to play aggresively on the 4-3, including Mr. Haynesworth. I bet they would've won more games with yesteryear's defense instead of this past season, aka Bruce Allen's 1st future with the club.

You can say what you want about Coach Allen, but in all of his years as a head coach, whether in the NFL, the USFL and even in his last season coaching a bunch of JUCOs, he NEVER had a losing season. Ever.

The only other coach I can think of with his resume and tenure that also accomplished that was Vince Lombardi.

I dunno, I would not mind a coach who gives you a winning record every year and a chance to win something. Beats what we have seen around here for nearly 20 years.

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